Carrion Comfort
by Clare Mansfield
Summary: Eleven years have past since the fall of Voldemort and Teddy Lupin starts Hogwarts. Will his Herbology teacher be able to help him to confront the horrors of the past? Post DH.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Long time no see my dear readers. This story was a challenge set by me beta and housemate Megan. I had to write a story involving Teddy Lupin and Neville Longbottom which involved Teddy getting into trouble so I hope you like it.

Its dual persepctive (like Sleeping with Ghosts) and flits from one to another.

It is set during Teddy's first year at Hogwarts when Neville has become Herbology teacher.

Anyway, let me know what you think!

* * *

Professor Neville Longbottom rarely prepared for lessons. His attitude towards academia had remained virtually unchanged since his days as a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Do the best you can and remain enthusiastic. It had fared him well in most of his subjects, Potions excepted, and he now approached his teaching with the same laid-back optimism. He had accepted long ago that Herbology was never going to prove quite as exciting as Defence Against the Dark Arts; although every year he hoped that there would be one keen scholar who would find the same fascination in the study of magical plants as he did.

Neville always saw the first lessons at the beginning of a new school year as a clean slate. He could wipe away the mishap of Marjory Mipplethink and that rather large Venomous Vetcher he had managed to breed last year. The summer holidays had afforded enough time to forget the slight accident involving three De-composting Worzles and two Hufflepuff boys. The enrolment of fresh-eyed and apprehensive first-years meant that Neville could monopolise on the fact that they had yet to witness the way in which his students made frequent visits to the Hospital Wing. Therefore, as he waved his first class of Slytherins and Gryffindors into the Greenhouse, the thrill of hope seized him.

* * *

Teddy Lupin's hair had remained blanched of all colour since arriving at Hogwarts. From the moment the train had rolled out of Platform 9 ¾'s in a billow of smoke his gut had knotted as the students around him chattered excitedly about things to come.

Although sensing his fear, his godfather had offered few words of comfort as he had helped him haul his luggage across King's Cross Station; what could he say? Teddy looked on Harry as more father than godfather but there were times when the tension between them became uncomfortable. Resentment was not exactly what Teddy felt in the moments he would remember his orphaned state and the way in which his parents had so selflessly given their lives for Harry. But this anger was always swiftly eclipsed in moments of laughter or tenderness which made Teddy realise with a guilty jolt that Harry would willingly have done the same thing for them.

Yet he had always known that Hogwarts could never be a playground. It was a graveyard; haunted by those who had fought so courageously and died there – his parents amongst them. He had heard of the statue that had been erected in the Entrance Hall, commemorating the Battle of Hogwarts, yet until now he had never seen it. On the train he found himself drifting off to sleep and in his dreams he saw the names of his mother and father etched into the marble, like those of the Muggle soldiers that had given their lives in their own wars.

But on arriving there had been no time to see it. He had been whisked into the Great Hall along with his fellow first-years and sorted, to his delight, into Gryffindor. He had joined their table and cast his eyes to the teachers who sat at the very front of the Hall at a table upon a raised dais. Some of them he knew well, if not in person then by name; Professor McGonagall, the headmistress, Professor Longbottom and Hagrid. There was a silvery looking old witch, tall and willowy, in amber coloured robes that Teddy learnt was Professor Summersmith and taught Charms. A stout, sour faced Goblinish man taught Transfiguration and a wizard with a wide-brimmed scarlet hat and alluring green eyes was now teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts. With a slight shiver Teddy Lupin turned away, looking down solemnly into his goblet of pumpkin juice. He wondered whether or not he would be as talented at that particular subject as his father had been.

* * *

"Welcome to Herbology!" Neville piped up as soon as the class had piped down. He gazed around at the faces of the startled students with obvious affection before perching on the soily bench and continuing "Now, I know that starting school is daunting and that, very soon, you might feel as though your head's going to explode with everything you've learnt…" Two girls sitting at the front exchanged worried looks. "But I want you to _enjoy_ Herbology. It's all very hands on so those of you who don't particularly excel at essay-writing don't panic. This could be the subject for you!"

At the back of the class two Slytherin boys's sniggered but Neville, with a determination that was only possible on the first day of term, pressed on.

"Something simple for today's class…just to give you a taster of what you might expect this year. I want you all to get into groups of three. Each group has to identify the plants which are being described by the clues in front of you." Neville flourished his wand and, after some delay, rolls of parchment appeared upon every desk. "Ten house points to the group with the most correct answers. Off you go!"

For a moment no-one moved but after the initial scraping of chairs and the rearrangement of the class, the Greenhouse was full of the chatter of students. After watching their endeavours discreetly from behind a large Witcherty Fern he was in the process of re-potting, Neville decided that it was probably the time to make a circuit of the class to see how his students were getting on.

It was better than he hoped. A group of Slytherin girls had, so far, identified all the plants correctly and, after confiscating a Weasleys Wizard Wheezes product with a slight smile from the boys, most of the groups had settled down to get their task done.

There was one group, however, that Neville could see where only one boy was diligently ploughing through the work whilst two girls twittered idly, contributing nothing. Uneasy, as always, with the prospect of reprimanding, Neville moved so that he was standing behind the girls, hoping to prompt them back into concentration. It worked yet as he moved to return to the front of the class he caught sight of the name of the boy who had been so quietly working, scrawled neatly in the corner of his page.

"I'm sorry, Teddy, I barely recognised you!" Neville tried in a discreet whisper, causing Teddy to turn round to his teacher.

Teddy had grown fast in the six months it had been since he had seen the boy last; he was much taller and leaner than before. The last time he had seen Teddy his hair had been a violent shade of purple and he had been grinning broadly as he had been given his very first broom. Yet now, his hair drained of its colour, his eyes ringed with dark circles, Neville could clearly register the resemblance he bore to Remus, which had always been hidden by the jovial eyes and penchant for bright hair he had inherited from Tonks.

The two girls that had been talking had stopped, their eyes moving inquisitively between their Herbology teacher and the drained looking youth they had been tactically ignoring.

"How you getting on? Alright?"

"Fine," Teddy mumbled down at the parchment that he had swiftly looked back down to under the scrutiny of the girls.

Neville felt compelled to quiz the boy further, unconvinced that all was well yet, knowing himself how unsettling the first few weeks at a strange school could be, he prevented himself from saying anything further. After placing a hand on Teddy's shoulder he moved away, back to his task of re-potting the Witcherty Fern, but conscious of the boy's presence for every moment of the lesson after that.

* * *

When Teddy Lupin bent down to collect his bag from beneath the desk at the end of that morning's lesson, he tried desperately to avoid the eye of Professor Longbottom, who seemed intent on saying something more to him before he left. He watched as two Gryffindor girls left and tried to catch the eye of the prettier one with wavy chestnut hair. Unfortunately, like many of the more eager first-years, they bolted, paying little attention to their teacher's request that all parchments be brought to the front of the class before they left.

"Wait a minute, will you, Ted?" Professor Longbottom called as Teddy tried, and failed, to exit unseen from the Greenhouse. He turned back round to face his teacher with a less than confident smile. Professor Longbottom had sat behind his high-potting bench and was now waving Teddy over to join him.

"What did you think of the lesson?" Professor Longbottom asked as Teddy sat down on the teetering stool. Whatever he had expected to have been asked, it was not this and Teddy suddenly warmed at the sheer hopefulness in his teacher's open expression.

"I think it was…" he saw his teacher tense before he conceded "brilliant. I really think you did a good job."

"You think so?" Professor Longbottom relaxed back into his bow-backed chair, his round face flushed. "I know Herbology isn't exactly like learning to fend off Dementors, but it does have a charm….of…it's…own…"

Teddy raised his eyes to his teacher as he had trailed off, sensing that Professor Longbottom feared any mention of anything that might remind them of the past.

"I haven't had Defence Against the Dark Arts yet."

"I see. Well, I'm sure you'll be very good at it. I never was. In fact, I only did well in it for one year…" He hesitated, venturing tentatively with a subject Teddy knew would be raised. "It was the year your dad taught me."

Teddy nodded in the way he always did when other people mentioned his parents.

"Was he a very good teacher?"

Professor Longbottom nodded enthusiastically.

"I think we all pretty much agreed he was the best Defence teacher we ever had. I remember when he taught us about Boggarts…" Teddy listened, enraptured, as his teacher recounted his memorable lesson when Snape had appeared from the wardrobe, dressed in his grandmother's clothes. He began laughing, and his laughter was infectious and Teddy laughed too as he clearly saw his father's sense of mischief manifesting itself in the suggestion he had made for Neville to imagine the loathed Professor Snape in woman's clothes.

The remnants of the laughter subsided from them both and Professor Longbottom, wiping his weeping eyes with his muddy sleeve, said, "It's so odd to think back now on the way that man frightened me and all the while…" He trailed off and Teddy swallowed hard knowing, as most of the Wizarding World did now, just how courageous Severus Snape had been.

"I want you to know Teddy that if you ever have any problems…or want a chat…my door is always open to you." Professor Longbottom's voice was earnest and Teddy nodded hurriedly to imply he understood. "I'm not like an ordinary teacher…my friends are your friends."

"Yeah…I know…" Teddy said evasively, grabbing his bag and moving to stand. "But I've really got to go now."

Professor Longbottom nodded and Teddy, suddenly feeling that he had had enough of the closeness of the air in the Greenhouse, swiftly left.

* * *

A/N: Obviously I have changed some of the teachers to cater to what I think would have happened so many years after. Reviews and opinions welcomed and encouraged.

Also, if any of you have any story ideas for me let me know. I am in the market for something that sparks my imagination and that you might like to read.

Next chapter coming soon xxx


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you for the lovely reviews. I know it's been said before but they really are so encouraging!

Welcome back schwanendreher! You've been a very faithful reader so thank you! I think by now you know of my love for Remus sob and there is a definite void in my heart now he's not there. I shall NEVER forgive the wonderful J.K.Rowling for killing him!

Back to the story. All my stories seem to always take this unintentional depressing tone. This chapter is a little sad but, I promise you, there is a somewhat happy ending coming.

In my story Hannah Abbot is the landlady of the Three Broomsticks for reasons which will become more clear.

* * *

"I'm a bit worried about Teddy Lupin. I don't think he's adjusting too well."

The tall, grey-haired witch with a green hat nodded as she sat down behind the broad desk. Behind her, the portraits of past Headmasters looked down reassuringly from their frames and one, showing a man with a grey beard and half-moon spectacles, mused reverentially, "Perhaps it is as we feared, Minerva."

McGonagall nodded solemnly, stirring her tea so the spoon tinkled in its cup, raising it to her lips, and raising her eyes to Neville.

"I discussed with Andromeda and Harry beforehand that Teddy may find it difficult coming to Hogwarts. I'm not sure how much the matter was discussed." Placing her cup back down into its saucer, McGonagall continued, "Perhaps it would be best if an owl were sent explaining Teddy's distress."

"Oh, I didn't mean for anything like that to happen," Neville ventured, managing to tear his eyes away from the portrait of the sallow-faced, greasy-haired headmaster that was eyeing him slightly critically from his frame. "He's withdrawn but I think that may disappear in time. I think he just needs someone to talk to him…about the things that happened here."

"It is a difficult subject to broach but one, I fear, which cannot be avoided. It won't be long before his fellow students realise who he is and quiz him…There are constant reminders of the past all over the castle. This is not something which can be swept under the carpet."

Neville nodded.

"It's been hard for any of us to forget the past. B…but it's important for those of us who survived to make sure that we uphold all that we fought for. It's nothing more than people like Teddy deserve."

McGonagall smiled affectionately at her Herbology teacher in a way that implied that she had been justified in her appointment of the former pupil.

"What do you think should be done in the meantime?" Neville asked.

A drawling voice from the portrait responded.

"Perhaps it would be best in this case to wait for Lupin to come to you. It is unlikely the boy wishes to speak of things that pain him without feeling its necessity."

Neville agreed inaudibly, avoiding the eye of the former Potion master, much to the amusement of McGonagall and the portrait of Dumbledore.

* * *

The ghostly tendrils of moonlight crept into the castle as Teddy sneaked his way out of the dormitory. In one hand, tightly grasped, was Teddy Lupin's most prized possession; a piece of blank parchment he had been presented with by Harry shortly before starting Hogwarts.

"What is it?" Teddy had asked, watching Harry's lips pull slightly into a smile, as he handed it over.

"Something I was once given when I was at Hogwarts that belonged, a long time before that, to my dad and yours…" Teddy had looked up then, his eyes wide with curiosity, his hair changing to an inquisitive shade of green. "…well, it belonged to all of them really…Sirius and Pettigrew too. They made it when they were at Hogwarts to aid their extra-curricular explorations. Now, I suppose you want to know how it works…"

Teddy had listened intently, memorising his godfather's instructions, yet he had not had a chance to use the map until now. In the shadowy darkness, concealed in an alcove on the seventh floor corridor, Teddy pressed his wand-tip to the parchment and whispered, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

Ink spidered its way across the parchment revealing the words, _Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs are proud to present the Marauders map. _

Teddy's breath caught in his throat as he read his father's nickname and held the magical map he had helped create. He imagined the exciting adventures his father had gone on with his friends in this very castle, and all the things Harry, Ron and Hermione had done in their time here. Now it was Teddy Lupin's turn, although his was a very different kind of adventure. Scouring the map and ascertaining that the coast was clear, Teddy made his way down the Great Staircase and towards the Entrance Hall.

The great hour glasses in which the house points were recorded glimmered dimly in the torch light. Teddy noticed that already Slytherin were ahead. He crept down the marble steps, ever watchful of the map which showed two Prefects, who had just come this way, making their way down to the Dungeons. From above Teddy heard the great clock ticking away the seconds, time edging ever closer to midnight.

He halted at the bottom of the steps seeing, for the first time, what he had chosen to ignore on arriving at the school. A great silvery statue stood bathed in magical moonlight that had been conjured to always illuminate it by night. As Teddy moved hesitatingly closer he saw the figure of youth, neither discernibly a girl nor a boy, reaching up to grasp a star that dazzled tantalisingly just out of reach. Clustered around the feet were magical figures of all kinds; centaurs, goblins, house-elves, giants, all miniature in stature, all upholding the weight of the youth as they reached for the star.

As Teddy crossed the cavernous space of the Entrance Hall he realised just how huge the statue was, just how imposing it was when you came up to stand right beneath it to look up at the star. Teddy felt strangely akin to the youthful figure that was also looking up; felt connected to the magical creatures that were striving to help the star be reached. The affinity he felt with the statue was more moving than could be understood and he felt dangerously tearful as his eyes moved down to read the motto, carved as though in light, in front of him; _In the oblivion of night there is the comfort of stars. _

Teddy sunk to his knees, his vision blurred as he scanned the names that were etched on the memorial. He found them quite easily, more easily than he had wanted to, very close to his face as his eyes curved the letters and formed the words Remus John Lupin and Nymphodora "Tonks" Lupin.

The marble floor was cold beneath him yet he could not move his eyes which were fixed on the names that seemed to twinkle with light like the star. They were here; this was where they truly were. They were not buried beneath the ground. They had come to rest at Hogwarts and here they would remain. Morbid thoughts flitted through Teddy's mind and he wondered grimly where they had died and whether or not the students of Hogwarts traipsed over the hallowed ground. The more he thought the more ferocious his tears became; had there been a lot of blood? Had it been painful to die?

Although the tears flowed Teddy Lupin cried in silence. The convulsions that seized his body, the emotions that made his ribs ache were tightly suppressed as he laid his head against the silvery plinth. He longed to be obliterated, then and there, if only it meant he would know what it was like to be with them; if it meant he would hear the sound of their voices. Perhaps it was selfish of him to long for death when they had fought so very hard for him to stay alive but, at that moment, Teddy felt irrational hatred for his parents, who hadn't loved him enough, or tried hard enough, to stay alive for him.

* * *

"Loony Lupin out of his bed, sleeping on the Entrance Hall floor…Loony Lupin fell asleep and the whole castle heard him snore!"

An obnoxious voice woke Teddy who was confused about why he seemed to be curled on his side, his cheek pressed against something cold and hard. As he opened his eyes a bright light, fierce like the sun, stung his retinas, causing him to shrink back. But the voice would not stop; the rhyming continued, interspersed with cackles of glee and finally Teddy opened his eyes, shocked to find himself in the Entrance Hall, surrounded by students.

"Who is it?" a flaxen-haired Hufflepuff girl asked her voice barely above a whisper.

Teddy scuttled back knowing that standing too quickly would make his head swim. He became conscious of his state of undress; of his blue striped pyjamas and his tartan dressing gown and the contrast they made compared to the others uniforms.

"Ickle first-year got a bit lost in the night," a Slytherin boy sniped much to the amusement of his friends.

"Loony Lupin! Loony Lupin!" Peeves wheeled over their heads.

"Sod off Peeves," Teddy snapped, standing, shoving his hands into the pockets of his dressing-gown, relieved that his map and wand were still there. With his eyes he challenged the pupils that surrounded him to say anything else, but none of them seemed in the least bit afraid. No-one said anything until he had pushed his way past them, his hair flushing an embarrassed shade of pink with his face, giving his identity away.

"Hey, I know him! That's Teddy Lupin, the Metamorphmagus kid!" a chirpy little Ravenclaw contributed.

"Who?" Teddy heard several other students asked as he tried, as quickly as possible, to get out of ear shot.

"You know he can change his appearance whenever he wants too. I think his parents were famous or something. I remember my dad saying something about a Lupin…can't remember what…"

Finally Teddy managed to put many doors and seven flights of stairs between himself and his inquiring classmates. He only hoped that they would find something better to talk about before he came back down for breakfast.

* * *

Neville threw his fifth attempt across the room and into the fiery snout of a Flaming Freesia. He scratched the side of his nose with his quill and wondered whether or not he was doing the right thing; whether or not it was best if he tried to tackle this problem on his own.

His first inclination had been to write to Harry but Neville feared that this would only provoke Harry's tendency to over-protect. No, Neville had thought to himself; he needed advice that was pragmatic, uncomplicated, sensible and, with a sudden epiphany, he had pulled the piece of parchment towards him and begun writing to Hermione instead.

After the formalities of asking how she and Ron and little Hugo and Rose were, Neville wrote about his concerns for Teddy. He explained that he feared he was finding his experience at Hogwarts too difficult and how he felt it was his duty to take Teddy aside and make sure things were alright. He was worried of pushing him though. Neville understood, more than most, how uncomfortable it could be explaining to others about the fate of his parents. He asked Hermione her thoughts on what he should do and, whether or not, he was right to be worried.

More punctual than even Neville expected from Hermione, her reply arrived with the Evening Post.

_Dear Neville,_

_My advice would be that, if you're worried, than maybe there is something to be worried about. I don't think anyone underestimated how difficult it would be for Teddy but perhaps we were all more optimistic than it was realistic to be._

_I think the best you can do is talk to him when he needs you, help him if you can. He's a sweet-natured sensible boy who won't need much coaxing to confide in someone like you. Keep in touch if you have any problems. _

_We are all fine this end. Hugo accidentally set Crookshanks on fire the other day (which that irresponsible husband of mine seemed to find hilarious!) _

_Come see us soon and bring Hannah with you!_

_All my love_

_Hermione_

He smiled to himself thinking about Crookshanks and the reprimanding looks only Hermione could bestow upon Ron with such affection. He missed his friends more than he had possibly realised he would in accepting his position at Hogwarts. However, there were some positive things to come out of his isolation during term time. It had resulted in him spending more time in Hogsmead and his frequent trips to the Three Broomsticks had resulted in his growing attachment to its new landlady, Hannah Abbot.

Neville felt himself flushing and he quickly banished those particular thoughts from his mind. Teddy Lupin was his primary concern at the moment; there was time to consider his feelings for Hannah later. He had heard from a number of sources (Peeves being the most vocal) that Teddy had been found that morning asleep beneath the statue in the Entrance Hall. But Neville wasn't due to take Teddy's Herbology class for another two days and he couldn't think of a way to orchestrate a meeting where he would be able to tactfully ask if he was alright. Somehow Neville had the impression that despite the lip service he had been paid, Teddy still wouldn't feel comfortable in confiding his problems to his Herbology teacher.

* * *

As Teddy waited anxiously outside the Greenhouse he could see, out of the corner of his eye, two Gryffindor girls elbowing each other and looking in his direction. Trying his best to ignore them, Teddy pretended to be rifling in his bag for something but he heard one of them finally pluck up the courage to ask, "Are you Teddy Lupin?"

Teddy nodded and the girl who had yet to speak, a plump girl with a pasty complexion said to her friend, "See, I told you. Why isn't your hair all funny colours now? Like how it went pink the other morning?"

"It doesn't work like that."

"If I was a Metamorphagus I would change my appearance all the time! Then no-one would know just who I was."

"Who's a Metamorphagus?" one of the more unpleasant looking Slytherin boys asked, a boy with a lean, mean mouth and an aquiline nose.

The plump girl pointed at Teddy who automatically lowered his eyes back to his bag. The Slytherin boy sniggered at his surrounding friends before drawling, "Go on then. Prove it. You don't look special to me."

"I'm not proving anything to anyone." Teddy huffed, straightening his back and turning his fierce gaze onto the Slytherin.

"How do we know you're not just lying then? Metamorphmagi are really rare, aren't they?"

Both the rotund Gryffindor girl and Teddy spoke at once.

"Why would I lie about a thing like that?"

"I saw his hair change colour!"

The Slytherin boy smirked, unconvinced before saying with a shrug, "How would I know why you'd lie about something as pathetic as that? Probably just attention seeking…"

"He doesn't need to attention seek!" The other Gryffindor girl snapped suddenly, starting forward, tossing her hair over one shoulder. Teddy recognised her from her previous Herbology class. "Don't you know who he is? Don't you recognise his name?"

The Slytherins gave each other unpleasant looks. Teddy tried to interrupt, tried to stop the girl from saying anything else but he wasn't quick enough.

"Both his parent's names are on the statue downstairs! They both died in the Battle of Hogwarts!"

An eerie silence descended as Professor Longbottom approached and allowed them to enter into the Greenhouse. The dark-haired Gryffindor smiled as Teddy took his seat but he found himself unable to return her smile. He supposed he should feel grateful; after all, she had only been trying to defend him. But from the way that the Slytherin boy with the curved nose pushed past him as he made his way to the bench in front Teddy realised that, in fact, the girl had inadvertently done more harm than good.

"So I guess that's why _he_ wanted to sleep downstairs on the floor," he heard the Slytherin boy say to his friends as Professor Longbottom made his way to the front of the class. "Wanted to be closer to mummy and daddy."

"Settle down please!" Professor Longbottom called over the class and Teddy, trembling with an emotion he could barely suppress, felt his cheeks burning as he attempted to ignore the things the boys were saying. But despite his efforts to listen to the instructions the Herbology teacher was giving he couldn't draw his attention away from the boys in front who, with occasional glances back to him, continued.

"Do you think he cried when he came here?" a boy with a puggish nose and a simpering voice asked.

The hook-nosed boy laughed and mimicked, "Booo hooo! Isn't my life tragic?"

"Shut up!" Teddy hissed through gritted teeth, carefully adjusting his volume so that no-one but the boys in front could hear.

As one the boys turned round and the mean-mouthed boy, who was clearly the ring-leader, squared his shoulders and said, "Why should we? It's true, isn't it?"

"You don't know anything about my parents!" Teddy's hands were trembling as he struggled to hold his quill to maintain the pretence of making notes. An anger that had been previously dormant seemed to be simmering just beneath his skin and he feared, from the way some of his other classmates were pointing in his direction, that his hair was changing colour to match.

"Who says we don't?" the boy who had yet to speak chipped in. He was a boy of a sanguine complex and narrowed, unpleasant grey eyes. "They were both members of the Order, weren't they? They both died here…they deserved it."

Teddy could not say anything in return. He had dropped his quill and was finding it difficult to breathe as he watched the Slytherin boy's lips continue to move.

"I know what your dad was…I don't care what he did for the Wizarding World. He was contaminated, a half-breed. He doesn't deserve to be remembered; your mum too…for marrying someone like that. Metamorphagus and werewolf? You're just as degenerate as they were! "

In one swift movement Teddy had jumped to his feet, knocking over his stool as he withdrew his wand. He only vaguely heard the commotion of the classroom as he directed all his hatred at the laughing Slytherin boys and, before they even had a chance to defend themselves, he had jinxed them all.

The boy with the puggish nose turned a peevish shade of green as he clutched at his stomach and howled in pain. The Slytherin with the grey eyes was lifted clean off his feet and was hung, suspended by his robe collar, from a hook that jutted out from a particularly high piece of trellis. The boy with the distinctive nose had been less hesitant than his counterparts and had managed to withdraw his wand. Yet Teddy was simply too furious to be anything but quick and, with a flourish of his wand, sent both boy and wand shooting several yards backwards.

The boy landed with a heavy thump at the feet of Professor Longbottom who quickly summoned Teddy's wand. The moment he felt his wand leave his hand it was as though the red mist that had descended in Teddy's mind lifted, and he suddenly felt ashamed of what he had done. He sunk down onto stool as Professor Longbottom muttered words like "Irresponsible" and "Shocking" as he tried to simultaneously detach the boy from the trellis and relieve the symptoms of the sickly Slytherin.

"I would have never have expected such behaviour from you!" Professor Longbottom fumed as he ushered the three boys away to the hospital wing just to be sure. Teddy could keenly feel the whole class' eyes upon him as he struggled to meet his Professor's unpitying eyes.

"Ten house points from Gryffindor," he announced to the utter incredulity of the Gryffindor's in the class. "And you, Teddy, will stay behind after the lesson, do you understand?"

Teddy nodded and said nothing in his defence; how could he explain to his teacher, in front of his peers, just what had made him react in that way?

* * *

A/N: Reviews and opinions encouraged. Let me know what you think. Only one more upload to go! As I said before, suggestions for more stories are very welcome xxx 


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Last chapter folks! Thanks to those who have read and reviewed. I hope you enjoyed it. It may have been a little depressing in places but I have endeavoured to give both Neville and Teddy an optimistic ending.

* * *

It had been a shock for Neville to witness one of his students leap to their feet in the middle of the lesson and proceed to jinx three of his classmates. Even more of a shock was to see Teddy Lupin, his hair flushed red, his eyes flashing with fury, ruthlessly attack three defenceless boys without any kind of, as far as Neville was aware, provocation. As the rest of his first-year students left he saw that Teddy was sitting at the potting-bench nearest the window; the last warmth of the autumnal sun casting his face in an uncertain, melancholy light.

He said nothing for a moment as he moved over to the little stove that heated the front of the class where he sat, setting the kettle to boil with a slight gesture of his wand. Two cups set themselves on Neville's desk and, as he retrieved the tartan tin of shortbread that Professor McGonagall had generously given him, he straightened to see that Teddy had already moved, without being prompted, to sit on the mildewy arm-chair before the spluttering stove.

"I'm sorry about what I did," Teddy said suddenly as Neville placed the cups of steaming tea before them.

"I'm glad that you feel like you should apologise."

Teddy nodded down into his tea cup. His hair was still a shocking shade of red.

"Would you do something for me?" Neville asked. Teddy raised his eyes and gave a non-committal nod of the head. "Would you tell me what those boys said to make you react like that?"

Teddy put his cup down and leant back into his chair and studied the face of his Herbology teacher. He liked Professor Longbottom very much; he was a cheery, rather hapless man who always seemed in earnest, and always covered in soil. There was nothing but concern in his questions; they weren't designed, as some other teacher's seemed to be, to catch you out.

"They said something about…about my mum and dad…" Neville barely breathed, his silence urging Teddy to continue confiding in him. "They said to me that they deserved to die."

Teddy couldn't bring himself to look at his teacher as Neville took a sharp intake of breath. Surely they couldn't have said anything so cruel? Neville thought to himself. But the pain that was manifesting itself on the face of the young boy opposite told him otherwise.

"I didn't know that. They will, of course, be severely punished."

Teddy shrugged and said with a wise smile, "It won't make much difference, will it? It won't take away the things they said."

"Teddy, I want to tell you something. S…something that you may or may not already know…something about me." Neville had decided on the best way of winning Teddy's trust. The trouble was finding it within himself to talk about something he hadn't spoken about for a very long time.

He smiled slightly at the expression on Teddy's face; set, serious – so reminiscent of his father.

"I don't know whether you know about my parents. They were in the Order of the Phoenix too, you know, just like your mum and dad." Neville paused, collecting his thoughts. "This was in the first war against Voldemort when the prophecy was made. I suppose you know about all of that, growing up with Harry, don't you?"

Teddy simply nodded.

"Yes…well…when I was only the baby a group of Death Eaters came to our house, Rodolphus Lestrange? And Bellatrix? Of course, you've heard of _them_…" Neville had all but forgotten his tea. His eyes had fixed on a patch of sunlight that was dazzling on the thick, dusty glass of the Greenhouse. "_She_ tortured my parents…tortured them within an inch of their lives and left them…worse than dead. I went to live with my grandmother and my parents, until this very day, live at St Mungos."

"Do you go and see them?" Teddy's youthful voice broke the strange sense of silence that had descended. Neville turned his eyes back to the boy, whose hair had faded to turquoise in his concentration.

"Sometimes…but sometimes I find it too hard. I thought when I was younger that it would get easier. But it never does and never will." Neville gave a sad smile. "It's difficult to have any sort of relationship with my parents when they don't seem to know who I am."

"Do you sometimes wish…" Teddy trailed off, embarrassed, but Neville urged him to continue. "Do you ever think it would have been easier if they had just died?"

"I do, actually." Teddy was surprised at his teacher's honesty but respected him more for it. "But then I think about people like you and Harry…and I think that if, given the choice, neither of you would choose your parents death over having them alive like mine."

Teddy imagined for a moment what he'd rather and realised, with a tight pain within his chest, the he would have rather have known his parents in that state than have been denied the opportunity of ever knowing them at all.

"When I was at school," Neville continued, edging the tin of shortbread towards Teddy so he took one. "I never told anyone about my parents. It wasn't because I was embarrassed." Neville added swiftly. "I j…just didn't know _how_ I could begin to explain everything that happened to them…and everything that it meant to me."

"That's how I feel too," Teddy said tentatively, meeting his Herbology teacher's gaze. "I don't really know how I feel about it all and so it's hard for me to talk to anyone else."

"But I did tell people, in the end. I realised that I was making things so much harder for myself. My friends helped me to realise that there was nothing wrong with any of the things I felt; anger, fear, irrational hatred…"

"It was easier for you, though, wasn't it?" Teddy replied, a little snappishly, not meaning to sound so irritable. "You didn't have to spend every day in the place where your parents were murdered, did you?" His voice wavered as he ended and he became conscious of the emotions that were knotting his stomach and causing a lump in his throat.

"No-one made you come to Hogwarts. Why did you come?"

"I just wanted…" Teddy faltered, burying his childish desire to simply burst into tears deep inside. "I wanted to make them proud of me. But that's silly because I'll never know if I do."

"Of course they'd be proud of you! You might never have known them but I did. Your mum, Teddy, was wonderful! A really wonderful witch! She just had this way of making you feel comfortable; making you laugh. She was always laughing. And your dad, your dad was one of the most generous men I ever meet. He always thought of others before himself. And he was so proud to be a dad; they were both proud to have you, Teddy. That's why they fought so hard."

"Sometimes I wish they hadn't!" Teddy said, impassioned, showing the petulance that most definitely was a Black family trait. "Sometimes I think it would have been better if they had been cowards and hadn't wanted to fight. If they hadn't they would still be alive…"

"You can't know that, not for sure. If they hadn't fought, or my parent's hadn't fought, or Harry's, Voldemort would have won! We wouldn't be here now, having this conversation, if they hadn't given their lives to ensure that our way of life would continue. I am proud of my parents, and Harry is of his."

"I am proud!" Teddy spluttered, tears pricking at his eyes which he wiped away swiftly with his sleeves. "I just can't help being selfish! I can't help wishing that things had turned out differently than what they have."

Neville, who had, until now, been refraining himself, leant forward to offer Teddy rather large, red handkerchief. He took it, too embarrassed at his emotions to say thank you and, for what seemed like ages, both teacher and pupil sat opposite each other in silence.

"You know, if you spoke to Harry, he would say that a wise man once told him that the one's we love never really leave us." Teddy looked up as Neville broke the silence. "It's sad that you never knew your parents but, through you, they live on. And through the memories of the people that knew them."

Teddy nodded as he handed back the handkerchief.

"Sometimes I imagine at night that I can hear them saying things to me. And I tell them the things that I've done with my day, and I can hear my dad saying well done, or my mum asking me questions about things…silly little things really." Teddy paused, frightened of not making sense, but continuing none the less. "And since I've come to Hogwarts I hear their voices more clearly than before and I think…I think that I know this is where they wanted me to be."

Neville smiled, sudden warmth flooding over him the cool, dimness of the Greenhouse. Perhaps all the boy needed was to feel as though he could talk to someone that understood? Perhaps things with Teddy would be alright after all?

"I just _wish_ that I had known them…" Teddy's voice contained a longing that broke Neville's heart. "I know that they were great people and I would have been so proud of them. Proud to be their son….and I am proud…just like you're proud of your parents too." Teddy caught the Professor's gaze and held it as he said, "Me, you and Harry, we're all the same, I guess, aren't we?"

"It's getting late," Neville suddenly noticed, uncomfortable with his emotions inspired by Teddy's words. He was suddenly aware of just how long they had been sitting here, and how close it was to dinner time.

"Yeah," Teddy said, the spell breaking as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat before rising. "Thank you for the tea and biscuits and…everything."

"That's alright," Neville said, extinguishing the fire in the stove with his wand before moving towards the door. "If you need to talk, anytime, you know where I am."

"I might just do that, sir," Teddy said with a glint of mischief evident in his eyes. "But only if I can have more of that shortbread."

"You can call me Neville, you know?"

Teddy shrugged as Neville opened the door for him.

"If I did I'd never hear the end of it."

* * *

It was a wet, wintery weekend and Neville, after a particularly draining first few weeks of term, welcomed the relaxation offered to him by the hospitality of the Three Broomsticks. A cheery fire burnt brightly behind the grate and Neville flushed from more than the heat as he pushed his way to the bar to be met by a radiant smile from Hannah.

"What can I get you, Professor?" she asked, a little flirtatiously, and, after serving Neville his drink, she came to sit beside him.

"You look tired."

"I feel tired."

Hannah said something sympathetic before yelling over to a punter than had just entered to close the door behind them. "Managed to find any favourites yet? Anyone as mad about those daft plants as you are?"

Neville resented such comments but allowed them; after all, Hannah Abbot had developed a very alluring smile.

"No, I haven't found anyone that's quite like me. But, I think, I might have found a favourite." The comment peaked the landlady's interest, so Neville continued, "Teddy Lupin started this year."

"Is he that old already? Has it really been…?"

"Eleven years," Neville contributed with a nod. "It seems, sometimes, like all of that happened so long ago. And other times, when I talk about it to Teddy, like it only happened yesterday."

"It must be hard for him," Hannah observed. "To go to Hogwarts after everything's that happened…and for you to teach there as well. I don't think I could spend as much time as you do there…even after all these years."

"I love it though, I really do." Neville swirled the remnants of his drink before swallowing it. "You remember what I was like back in school?"

"A bit…Hap-hazard?" Hannah ventured tactfully. Neville laughed.

"You could say that…"

"But you weren't always like that. You grew into it. All those things you did with Harry…for the D.A…at the Battle. You were braver than you're giving yourself credit for, Neville."

Neville could feel the tips of his ears flushing.

"Yeah…well…after all that I kind of knew that I wanted to go back to Hogwarts. Someone was going to have to help it back to the way it was once. And I always liked Herbology."

"You're a sweet man, Neville Longbottom," Hannah said with a smile, placing her hand on top of his where it rested beside his glass.

After struggling with himself for a moment or two, Neville allowed himself to turn over his hand, pressing his palm against Hannah's, intertwining his fingers with hers.

"I try," he said.

* * *

On exiting the Great Hall after dinner Teddy halted before going up to the common room. He crossed the echoing Entrance Hall and stood beneath the silvery statue, once again looking up at the star.

"I'm sorry," a voice beside him said, causing Teddy to start and turn away from where his parent's names were etched in light. He saw, to his surprise, the Gryffindor girl from his Herbology class, the girl who had defended him, standing beside him.

"What are you apologising for?" Teddy asked.

The girl, who was rather pretty with wavy, chestnut hair, shrugged and said "For interfering. I should have just kept my mouth shut. They would have left you alone then and you wouldn't have got into trouble."

Teddy smiled.

"I don't think it would have made much difference. Besides," he added as an after thought, "It was nice to know that I had someone to stick up for me."

The girl smiled.

"What's your name?" Teddy asked.

"Philomena Wood but everyone calls me Mena."

"You're not related to Oliver Wood, are you?"

Mena smiled more broadly than before, revealing a set of perfectly white teeth.

"He's my dad."

Teddy nodded and turned back to the statue.

"He was here too, wasn't he? At the Battle?"

Mena gave a small nod of her head.

"He hardly ever talks about it though. I can't say I blame him. He sometimes talks about the people that he fought with. Professor Longbottom with them…and Hagrid, and Professor McGonagall…" Mena trailed off and Teddy turned to see that she too was staring at the star, the same, strange feeling of affinity playing across her pretty face. She turned to him and, with the light of the star playing oddly in her eyes, said, "I'm so sorry that your parents died."

Teddy swallowed hard and suddenly felt as though a pressure which had weighed him down ever since he had stepped onto the Hogwarts Express lifted. Perhaps all it had taken was someone like Men acknowledging just what a sacrifice his parents had made?

"Thank you," he said in a voice close to a whisper.

Mena smiled, a smile that Teddy was finding gradually infectious and that made his stomach squirm, before turning on her heels to climb the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Teddy called after her.

"I've got to go and completely re-do my Defence Against the Dark Arts essay. According to Filch it was "dangerously subversive of school rules" and he confiscated it!"

A sudden thought occurred to Teddy and, jogging to catch up with Mena on the stairs, he whispered furtively, "We could go get it back."

"From Filch's office? Are you insane?" She laughed but, on seeing that he was deadly serious, said, "It's impossible. We'd get caught, if not by Filch or Mrs Norris, but by someone else."

"I don't think so," Teddy said tauntingly. "Not with the help of friends."

"Oh, really?" Mena retorted sarcastically. "And what amazing friends would these be?"

After casting a look around him to make sure that no-one else but Mena could see he pulled out, what appeared to be, a blank piece of parchment. Mena looked at Teddy, confused. And Teddy, his hair turning a mischievous shade of purple, said, "Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs".

* * *

Reviews are strongly encouraged. Let me know what you think and if you have any ideas for anything I could write in the future! xxx 


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